Retribution
by Aurora-cs
Summary: Even heroes have time to think, especially when life is slipping away. Sonic's thoughts during 'Resolution'.


I guess it all had to end eventually.

But I didn't think it would be with death.

And I didn't think it would be mine.

It seemed too easy, Sal sent me to Robotropolis to get a load of parts for something or other I didn't really listen and I ran into a patrol.

Easy enough, I spin, slice, dice through em, strew their parts from here to the great beyond, grab the parts in a Sonic-second, high-tail it back to Knothole, and give them to Sal. Maybe try and do something to make her laugh she is _so_ high-strung - I swear the frogs in her bed weren't _my_ idea - I'm more subtle, then hang around with double-T, make some chilli dogs...

You get the picture.

Except this time - it went wrong.

I don't really remember it exactly - knowing that the red stuff on the floor isn't tomato sauce is enough to give you the heebie-jeebies - and there was so much of it, my mind's kinda a blank. I know I got a lot of em before _it_ happened, but one must've had enough juice left to fire that shot.

Ever felt something the size of a pea go through you, at the kind of speed I run at?

You don't want to, trust me.

Pain ain't enough to describe it...felt like my insides were shredded, torn up, thrown into a blender, then shaken up and down again and again...

Times that by ten, and you're getting close.

So I lay there, couldn't get up, and knowing that this wasn't just a flesh wound.

They say when you're close to dying, your life flashes before your eyes.

I had more time, so it was more like a slideshow.

I remembered back when it was Mobotropolis, and I lived with Uncle Chuck, and Sal was an annoying, cute kid, instead of an annoying pretty girl...

Did I say that...wow...too late now I guess.

Except...um...yeah! I still had the handheld comp-thing Sal gave me to record stuff on.

_"Important things Sonic" _

That was important.

Ok, that's done.

Where was I? Oh yeah, lying there, my life flashing, or blinking, before my eyes.

I saw the takeover, running to Knothole, growing up there, finding Tails - my mondo best bud, fighting Robuttnik - that time we went back in time, when Sal found her dad again...loadsa stuff.

Then I heard - and felt - footsteps, and each one jarred me, I grit my teeth, cause I wasn't about to let lardbelly see me down.

We threw back and forth the usual jibes, retorts, and I tried to say my final...what the heck did Sal call it? - epitah, think it was. She said it was some sort of final speech, final words or something like I said, I tend to tune out when she starts speaking. And all the time, he seemed the same Robuttnik as usual.

But his eyes showed it, and I dunno, I guess I saw something in them which made it easier to say.

_"Robotnik?" _

My eyes were closed, and I couldn't breathe, felt like someone was squeezing my chest. Just wanted to sleep...so tired, but I had to stay awake...if he would do it.

He amazed me.

_"Yes?" _

"Do something for me?"

He hesitated, like I figured, but then, he nodded.

Wow - I thought - Lardbelly has a heart!

_"D...Don't let my friends see me like this"_ I tried to get the words out, but it was painful, each word just made my eyes water and fire fill my lungs._ "I know I'm gonna die, and I don't want my friends to see me like this...T...Tails'll be freaked...and the others..."_ probably the most important speech I've made.

**That** was my epitah.

And he agreed.

So I died.

I heard people say that when you die, you stick around to see what happens, then leave for whatever's after that.

So I did.

I saw what Robotnik did.

I saw the others find me.

I saw Sally cry.

Tails hadta be told by the ring pool.

He was waiting for me to play dirt-hockey.

They had a funeral, and I saw me, which was uber-creepy, lowered into the ground.

I could hear thoughts - and Uncle Chuck's were the worst.

_'An uncle shouldn't outlive his nephew'_

Dammit...why can't I comfort him!

Why can't I do anything!

And then he caught em all, one by one, and they became his slaves.

Like, when I was gone, so did the spark.

_"I'm not the glue that holds us together!"_ I wanted to shout at them.

But I can't.

I'm stuck here.

I won't leave till I know they're okay.

I watch over Uncle Chuck, Tails, Bunnie, Rotor, Antoine.

Sally.

I taunt Robotnik, and I know he can hear me.

Cause I ain't going anywhere.

Not yet.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Sonic, Robotnik and related characters (c) Sega. Sally and related characters (c) whoever owns SatAM.  
**Authors note:** People seemed to like 'Resolution' - should I do the reactions of the other characters? Which ones? 


End file.
